Paper Plane has become the go-to spot for drinks and bar bites in downtown San Jose, with a craft cocktail menu that categorizes the type of flavors each drink embodies. The capable bartenders prepare cocktails with mesmerizing movements as they light drinks on fire, adorn with citrus zest and spank basil leaves on their wrists. The libations can be enjoyed with equally tasty small plates like chicken and waffles, bone marrow vol-au-vent and fried pork belly. They also make a mean croque madame. 72 S. 1st St, San Jose.

The Pruneyard Plaza's latest gem, by Chef Jeffrey Stout, formerly of Alexander's Steakhouse, offers fresh ingredients as local as the farmers market a few blocks away. The menu shifts according to seasonal offerings but has a few signature dishes: Korean Fried Chicken, Mac and Cheese and the OCK burger are available year round. Brunch is equally enticing with some full entree sizes as well as small plates. Don't just focus on the food, though. They also have an impressive bar program. 1875 S. Bascom Ave. #190, Campbell.

A longtime fixture on The Alameda, Wine Affairs serves vino with jazz music on select nights in their cozy bar. They also have a good selection of tapas: the ever-popular duck fat fries, meatballs and sausage, pizza and flatbread, and, of course, no wine bar is complete without a cheese and charcuterie platter. As an added bonus, Happy Hour runs all day Wednesday through Sunday. Cold artisanal beers and ciders are also available. 1435 The Alameda, San Jose.

Bizarre Foods guru Andrew Zimmern named Gaku Yakitori one of his five favorite off-the-radar restaurants in the U.S. Gaku specializes in grilling skewers of meat and seafood on authentic Japanese grills while using coals imported from Japan. The skewers are about $3-$5 each and often come with two skewers per plate, which is perfect for sharing. Diners can also share cold or raw appetizers like baby octopus salad and beef carpaccio. Each season has its own special menu with items that are not to be missed, particularly the duck dipping soba or anything made from duck, for that matter. All the salty grilled goodness must be washed down with a cold beverage and Gaku has a host of Japanese sake and shochu to do just the job. 5152 Moorpark Ave. #40, San Jose.

Hidden in a residential corner of Cupertino is a Japanese fusion tapas restaurant with elaborate dishes like a braised rock cod, which takes at least 20 minutes to prepare. It's a place where you can still dine on your knees on tatami mats in a private booth with sliding bamboo doors. The menu is lengthy but almost every small plate is worth it. Items can be as light as thin slices of hamachi carpaccio or as heavy as a okonomiyaki seafood pizza. Reservations are highly suggested. 19980 Homestead Rd., Cupertino.

A pitcher of sangria chock full of fruit and flavor always helps a meal get off to a good start. So does any Cascal dish containing seafood, especially the ceviche sampler. A paella for a filling entree combined with any number of tapas from shrimp tostaditos to beef empanadas will be plenty to share amongst friends. Even though the house sangria is fantastic, Cascal does a great job with tropical mixed drinks like margaritas and Pisco sours. The atmosphere becomes much livelier at night and Cascal makes for the beginning of an exciting evening. 400 Castro St., Mountain View

Parking may be tough to find, but Tanto's tasty small plates are always easy to spot. There are some interesting booths for two in the back of the restaurant, where both diners sit on a bench facing a wall, mimicking the experience of tiny Japanese eateries. Serving some of the usual sushi fare like sashimi, tempura and rolls, Tanto also delves into some lesser-known delicacies like ankimono (steamed monkfish liver) and uni (sea urchin) rice bowls. Grilled items such as the beef tongue and chicken liver skewers are also a must try. 1063 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale.

The large communal table at The Table lends itself well to sharing food with friends. This restaurant can be bustling any meal of the day. Be it happy hour dishes or small plates at dinner, the food here is too good not to share. There's chicken liver mousse, an all-beef footlong and pork kebobs. What's not to be missed is the only burger that belongs at the table, so good that its description is the item name. Always save room for an interesting cocktail here. They're listed by spirits to help the indecisive drinker make an informed decision. 1110 Willow St., San Jose.

La Catalana is the place to go for viewing soccer matches. Barcelona soccer jerseys and players' photos hang on the wall. If Barcelona is playing, you can bet people will gather here to watch while downing sangria and splitting pans of paella. Other items worth noting are the Spanish cured chorizo, the fried potato cubes and virtually anything with ham. La Catalana is a small space and has had to turn people away when reaching capacity, so make sure to get there early to snag a spot. 3720 N. 1st St. #10, San Jose.

Prepare to rub elbows with neighbors at the bar at Pintxo Pote, formerly called Donostia Pintxo. Though the space is small, eyes will feast as much as stomachs, as the decor features a wall made of gem rocks and a bar counter with embedded gold shells. The Spanish Basque tapas experience is made more unique with personal service at the counter—each employee only serves a few patrons in their section. Item names are in Spanish so menu descriptions should be read carefully, so as not to miss dishes like slow cooked beef cheeks, anchovy skewers and grilled octopus. Small plates are taken literally here, with only two or three pieces per plate, but the idea is to consistently drink and nosh throughout. 424 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos.